Why did Keith Flores abstain on VP Sara impeachment?

If you’re tasked to be a prosecutor in a high-profile impeachment trial, there’s a basic expectation you’d vote in favor of the case that you’ll have to defend before senator-judges.

But Bukidnon 2nd District Representative Keith Flores decided to abstain from the vote. He became among the 61 out of 318 lawmakers who did not vote yes to the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte that hurdled the House of Representatives on May 11.

So what was his excuse — his justification, rather?

In the first-ever joint press conference of the prosecution panel on Tuesday, May 19, Flores was asked about his vote to abstain.

Flores, after all, voted in favor of the committee report that later became the subject of the plenary vote.

“There were personal and political reasons for abstaining, but it wasn’t about the articles of impeachment,” he said.

Such a vague answer, so we pressed him later to expound. He argued it was not the first time in the history of the House that a prosecutor whom the body had elected did not vote yes to the impeachment articles. (It was not immediately clear to us which prosecutor in the past Flores was referring to.)

We asked: did his consultation with his constituents play a role in his abstain vote? Finally, the Mindanaoan lawmaker provided more clarity about his decision-making process.

“Yes, that played a factor in my decision on abstaining, but it wasn’t because of the articles of impeachment. I could not in good conscience vote against the articles of impeachment because I was present all along when the committee on justice heard the evidence presented,” Flores said.

“I think it cannot be denied that there are a lot of people in Mindanao who are actually for the Vice President. So yes, that played a factor also in my considerations whether to vote or not to vote,” he added.

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Mindanao is Duterte country, and saying yes to impeachment means having to deal with potential backlash from voters in the region.

Flores, in 2025, signed the first impeachment complaint against Duterte, and was also elected to the prosecution panel. The Supreme Court, however, declared the impeachment unconstitutional, aborting a trial.

Despite his abstain vote this year, Flores has the confidence of his peers in the panel.

“I don’t think we have any doubt on the confidence, integrity and expertise of Congressman Flores to take on the role of public prosecutor,” Bicol Saro and fellow prosecutor Terry Ridon said.

As prosecutor, Flores will be front and center of perhaps the most high-profile political event of the year. At the trial, his role is to prove that Vice President Duterte should be removed from office for her unexplained wealth and alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Will his abstain vote appease his constituents despite his important role in the trial? Will they be able to reconcile the contradiction? – Rappler.com